Community directory

Turning Point. Short Breaks for Carers (West Herts)

Short Breaks for Carers provides short periods of respite to carers of people with mental health difficulties living in West Hertfordshire. We help by spending time with the mental health service user so that the carer can take time out.

The service is designed to complement rather than replace exisitng respite services. We provide timely, creative and flexible support to enable carers to actively and beneficially participate in the care of people with mental health difficulties and other complex needs.

We give carers breaks of between one and two hours per visit. The duration and frequency of breaks is agreed at the referral stage but could lead to a short or long term arrangement depending on the carer's individual needs and circumstances.

The service operates between 8.00am and 10.00pm, seven days a week to provide flexibility around the needs of carers and service users. Some of the support is provided via an out of hour's telephone service.

The service operates mainly through community outreach. The nature of the break covers anything from spending time with a service user in their home, to accompanying them on social / leisure activities in the community. This can involve support to attend important appointments, meetings with professionals and day care services, where this gives the carer a break. The carer, the service user, the referrer and the project worker agree a support plan at the first referral meeting. The support plan is then reviewed at regular intevals to ensure that we respond to changing needs.